1955 Map of Silverton

About this map

Silverton stands as the primary hub of this high-altitude landscape, where the confluence of Cement Creek and the Animas River dictated early settlement patterns. By the mid-1950s, the region was defined by a dense network of extraction sites and high-mountain trails, including the Million Dollar Highway (U.S. Highway 550) carving through the terrain near Ironton. The map documents a mature mining district with iconic locations like the Camp Bird complex and Sunnyside Mine alongside smaller operations such as the Buffalo Boy Mine and Kitty Mack Mine. The presence of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad reaching into the valley floor highlights the industrial necessity of transport for ore from the Mayflower Mill. Beyond the town sites of Eureka and Howardsville, the map details a landscape of extreme verticality, marked by the Continental Divide and numerous named summits including Sultan Mountain and Kendall Peak.